WARM tributes have been paid to the theatre director Pam Brighton, who passed away on Sunday.
Originally from Bradford, Pam co-founded the Dubbeljoint theatre company with Marie Jones in 1991. Director of landmark works such as Binlids, Murphy’s Law, A Night in November and Stones in His Pocket, her work received international acclaim and recognition.
Writer Laurence McKeown said Pam would be remembered for putting her craft before fame and fortune.
“She lived her life according to her personal politics and put integrity before money — to her cost, financially, but not in terms of the friends she ultimately made who will remember her for her courage and conviction and for putting community, before fame and fortune,” he said.
Brassneck theatre company artistic director Tony Devlin said her passing was a sad day for the theatre community in Belfast “and right across Ireland as we mourn the loss of one of its biggest and most influential characters.”
He added: “If Dubbeljoint theatre company was a rollercoaster, then Pam Brighton was the fairground operator. Over the many successful years at the helm of that pioneering institution, there were plenty of ups, many downs, countless highs and a copious amount of lows.
“I can safely say that, having been a proud graduate – or survivor – of the Dubbeljoint rollercoaster, the ups and highs far outweighed the downs and lows – and Pam Brighton was responsible for them all.
“When Pam called the shots, everyone complied.
It was, after all, for the greater good and Pam gave so much for the greater good while asking for so little in return. She created incredibly exciting and thought-provoking, moving, professional, quality, inspiring, challenging and ultimately entertaining theatre.”
Tony said Pam leaves behind “a beautifully coloured, brilliantly inspirational and wonderfully inspiring legacy of work will be spoken of and fondly remembered for generations”. He continued: “I hope that through our own company, which emerged and grew out of Dubbeljoint, that we can continue Pam's and Dubbeljoint's legacy in keeping the wheels on that rollercoaster turning, now that the fairground operator has exited stage left.
“I'm sure that somewhere right now Pam is conspiring, imagining and creating some magnificent piece of theatre along with her two great friends and artistic colleagues, Brian Moore and Brian Campbell – geniuses all.
“And if I know Pam, God himself may only be getting a cameo role. She will be missed by many. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dhílis.”
Pam Brighton’s funeral will take place on Wednesday, February 25, leaving Healy’s Funeral Home at 2.15pm before making its way to Roselawn Cemetery for 3.30pm.
